Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Honours India’s Trailblazing Equestrian Squad, Says New Sports Ecosystem Enabling ‘First-Ever’ Medal Wins

New Delhi, December 5, 2025: Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, on Friday applauded India’s Eventing and Dressage teams for scripting history at the FEI Asian Equestrian Championship 2025 in Pattaya. The six-member contingent produced India’s best-ever show at the continental meet, returning home with five medals across team and individual categories.

Eventing star Ashish Limaye emerged as one of the standout performers, clinching a rare individual gold and contributing to a team silver. Dressage rider Shruti Vora added to India’s medal tally with three silver medals—two in individual events and one in the team competition. Team members Shashank Singh Kataria, Shashank Kanmuri, Divyakriti Singh, and Gaurav Pundir were also part of the landmark campaign.

“India is now stepping into arenas where we were barely visible a decade ago,” he said. “Your dedication has strengthened a discipline that has traditionally had limited support in our country. The government is fully committed to eliminating barriers that stand in an athlete’s way. We will develop an equestrian-ready ecosystem within India so that our athletes no longer need to train abroad.”

The minister also reaffirmed the government’s plan to set up a national quarantine centre within the next year, addressing one of the biggest hurdles in transporting horses for international competitions.

Shruti Vora expressed gratitude for the minister’s proactive approach. She noted that the announcement of work beginning on an equine disease-free zone gives aspiring riders much-needed hope.
“We need a complete system that allows riders to train, qualify, and compete right here in India,” she said. “Once these structures are in place, the entire process—from meeting standards to travelling with horses—will become far smoother for everyone in the equestrian community.”